R
R&R is the third part in the Loaded March series. It was uploaded to Archive of Our Own on September 10, 2011. This part consists of 56,881 words. Read it here. Summary Team Excalibur's prize was two weeks of R&R, but it's not all fun and games. Arthur is determined to keep his squad ready for whatever mission the Brass will toss at them next, and that means getting in touch with old friends, learning about the impossible, and trusting Merlin. Plot UST. Lots of UST. idek something about wizards and Arthur nearly gets killed but Edwin gets killed by bin bags. It really does begin with the UST. Merlin can barely stand the thought of spending all of R&R in Arthur's apartment. With. Arthur. When Excalibur goes on leave, they have a schedule, which they always follow. This R&R, however, goes a little unexpected for Merlin and Arthur--and not in a good way. 'sigh' In London, the team endeavors to get Merlin drunk so that he will spill of his secrets, which, alas, they fail to do, but they do finally meet Will, Merlin's bestie. They are very touchy feely in their deep coversation about high school bullies and the NWO. Arthur becomes extremely jealous. Then, Will threatens Arthur, and we finally learn about how much of an Ass Cedric Walsh really is. Then more UST. Arthur spies on a sleeping Merlin and Merlin drools at the sight of Arthur in his running gear. The boys really are quite hopeless. Arthur meets with Olaf, learning more about the NWO. Olaf gives Arthur a contact to meet, Edwin Muirden. Arthur learns about magic. While Arthur is off being sneaky and agenty with Olaf, Merlin is visiting his uncle and making contact with his old friend, Freya Peters, who is now associated with the NWO. Arthur shows Merlin a video that clearly shows Trickler doing magic. Merlin and Arthur both kind of freak out for different reasons. Later that night, Arthur goes to meet Edwin, and is startled when he sees Merlin at the same club and talking to a third generation member of NWO (Freya). Merlin is just as shocked to see Arthur. Then shit gets real. Edwin is really a double double agent. His ticket into the NWO was Arthur--or, erm, kind of sacrificing him...Merlin, of course, saves the day. Luckily, or not so luckily, Arthur doesn't see Merlin use magic to save their lives. Quotes "No, Olaf. I don't want to join MI-5. I don't want to become the next 007. I don't want to be a super-spy who snogs his way through a pantheon of lovely women at the end of a mission, because, hello, I'm not interested in women," Arthur said. "Tell me about the new world order." "No. McGilvray didn't fit in," Arthur said finally, wiping greasy fingers on his jeans before putting a hand on Merlin's shoulder and squeezed tight. "But you do." "So, if you could have one or the other, which would you prefer?" There was a moment, a slight, faint trickle of a moment, where Arthur's heart stopped beating and he could see Merlin trying to decide if the coffee really was worth it. Finally, Merlin lowered his hands, blinked against the bright lights, crossed his arms in front of him, and looked wearily at Gwaine. "You're still not my type," Merlin said, pale and tired. Merlin grinned, his stomach fluttering unexpectedly, his eyes going over and over the text before he realized what it was that had plastered a smile on his face. Arthur had told him to come "home". Gods, what he wouldn't wish for that to be true -- and reminded himself, with a thump on his head with his fist, that even if Arthur swung his way, Arthur was still his commanding officer, and there were rules. Arthur was one for following the rules. "I went to school with him! He's one of the ones who went around blathering about the NWO like he was a newly converted cult member! He'd sooner spit in your face, beat you to an inch of your life, lock you out in the yard bloody fucking starkers in the middle of the goddamn winter, Arthur! Yeah, he nodded! He doesn't fucking nod!" –Merlin to Arthur Series Timeline Category:Parts